Public Policy Network

The origins of the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop can be traced to Royal Navy Captain Robert Wauchope who invented the time ball in 1829. These devices dropped at the same hour each day to help ships keep accurate time, which was essential to determine longitude while at sea.

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The highly-anticipated November elections are finally over with Joe Biden becoming the president-elect. The House remains in Democratic control by a slim margin, while a few seats remain undetermined. In typical 2020 fashion, control of the Senate is still unknown and will be decided by two runoff elections in Georgia.

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Presidential campaigns are said to be a marathon, not a sprint. Seasoned runners advise that discipline is necessary to finish a long run and it is vital to have a plan for the final miles to overcome any unexpected obstacles. To win, you need to utilize everything you’ve got and sometimes sprint to the end.

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In June of last year, 20 candidates took the stage for the first Democratic presidential primary debate. Questions addressed familiar topics, including heath care, foreign policy and the economy. Though experienced candidates knew many unexpected issues would arise before Election Day, it’s safe to say that no candidate anticipated a pandemic which would impact every aspect of daily life.

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Labor Day is traditionally when America starts paying attention to the November elections and undecided voters begin making their decisions. Although it’s hard to imagine that swing voters haven’t been impacted by the 24-hour coverage of the presidential candidates, it’s likely the historical pattern of decisions being solidified in the final weeks will still occur. This year, those decisions will be made while demonstrations for racial justice and the impacts from COVID-19 continue.

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Notebooks, pencils and friendly ghosts have hit the shelves as stores across America begin to display back-to-school merchandise and Halloween decorations. The collective groans that summer just started is the time-honored response, but retailers have good reason for trying to be the first to attract consumers.

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